I am a current sophomore at my highschool. I am trying to switch to homeschooling as the school's curriculum (even its honor classes) tends to go slower than I am comfortable with, and the overall environment and people are very toxic towards my mental health (causing unnecessary and sporatic fits of stress and atypical depression). While my mother is convinced to put me through homeschooling for my junior and senior year, my father is not. While he has many questions, he is most concerned about the possibility of me becoming very lazy and not doing anything throughout the duration of the day if I happen to finish lessons early. This point was used against me most recently while I was on Fall Break. We couldn't afford to go anywhere during the week, I only have my driver's permit (I won't have a license until late December), and the weather wasn't very favorable throughout most of the week, so I had no other choice than to stay at home all day until my parents got back from work. During dinner one of these nights, my dad brought up the question of how what I did over Fall Break would be any different from what I would do if I was homeschooled (that is to say, sitting around doing nothing and being lazy).I need help. What are some things I could tell him to convince him that this isn't my intention behind homeschooling? I've already tried telling him that I could go outside or drive around after lessons to not stay coupped up in the house, but he wasn't convinced.

TheatreBlood wrote:I am a current sophomore at my highschool. I am trying to switch to homeschooling as the school's curriculum (even its honor classes) tends to go slower than I am comfortable with, and the overall environment and people are very toxic towards my mental health (causing unnecessary and sporatic fits of stress and atypical depression).

While my mother is convinced to put me through homeschooling for my junior and senior year, my father is not. While he has many questions, he is most concerned about the possibility of me becoming very lazy and not doing anything throughout the duration of the day if I happen to finish lessons early.

This point was used against me most recently while I was on Fall Break. We couldn't afford to go anywhere during the week, I only have my driver's permit (I won't have a license until late December), and the weather wasn't very favorable throughout most of the week, so I had no other choice than to stay at home all day until my parents got back from work. During dinner one of these nights, my dad brought up the question of how what I did over Fall Break would be any different from what I would do if I was homeschooled (that is to say, sitting around doing nothing and being lazy).

I need help. What are some things I could tell him to convince him that this isn't my intention behind homeschooling? I've already tried telling him that I could go outside or drive around after lessons to not stay cooped up in the house, but he wasn't convinced.

For the record, it would be a bad idea for you to drive around during the day after you finish your lessons, unless you had a part-time job, or you were going to and from outside lessons of some kind. During the school year, Authority Type Figures could imagine that you are truant.

Also for the record, if you complete your assignments early, and you've completed them to the best of your ability, you have earned the right to goof off. And if it was Fall Break, then of course you get to sit around and be lazy. Because Fall Break.

Have you and your mother researched the homeschool laws in your state? Are you fully prepared to complete your education at home? Because if you homeschooled for a year and decided you didn't like it after all, and wanted to go back to the local high school, it is unlikely that the school will accept any credits you earned at home. Homeschooling at the high school level is all or nothing.

Do you have a plan regarding what you want to do when you graduate? College? Apprenticeship? Military?

Perhaps if you and your mother discuss these things and then present your case that way to your father, he will be more amenable to your being home.

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